So the food...after a few days we stopped the food as we decided that jack was not quite ready for solids. It seemed to upset his tummy and he became a little constipated. Also unlike his sister it did not help the sleep and in fact it made things worse.... As we were going on another holiday at the end of June we decided to wait until we got back from that.
After reverting to just milk the sleep went back to normal. Normal being waking up only 3 times a night rather than every hour!!
At the end of June we went to Crete for a week in the sun. I was convinced that the holiday would be cancelled or some disaster would strike so was not surprised when a couple of weeks before we went chicken pox started doing the rounds at playgroup and mandy's..... Right up until the minute we took off I was convinced something would happen to ruin the holiday. Last year was ash cloud, the year before we had managed to get away but everyone had been I'll except james and I. As it happened nothing stopped us this year and I finally got excited when we got to the airport. I was a little worried about how the kids would do as we had night flights both ways, but I needn't have bothered as they both did really well. We had a couple of tantrums with Rachel at the airport as she was cry tired but then they both slept all the way there. Our transfer to the resort was quick and painless as well and as we arrived early morning it was beautiful to see the sun rising as we were bussing over to our hotel. The hotel was great and they gave us a lift to our room on one of their golf buggies. As we turned up the very steep hill we passed the kids paradise pool and I couldn't believe our luck when he turned in next to the pool. Our room was right by it. We couldn't have had a more ideal room had we asked for it. When we got it Rachel and I went to sleep for a bit while daddy took jack out for a look around. Then we swapped over and when jack and daddy fell asleep - Rachel was still asleep- I went off to the welcome meeting. It was pretty pointless except for the info on the kids clubs.
We quickly settled into a routine of going in the pool twice a day, before lunch and then later on in the afternoon. Rachel loved playing in the pool and going to the shop by the restaurant and jack enjoyed a cooling off dip in the pool every day. The 2 bed apartment was basically a 1 bed apartment but they changed the lounge area into a twin bedroom. It was clean and had everything we needed, fridge, kettle, bath with shower over, small balcony, and air con. The food in the hotel was good and there was always a good range so even Rachel managed to eat there!
By the paradise pool there was a kids bar serving burgers, hotdogs, juice, slushies, popcorn, ice-cream , a complete kids dream. Rachel did develop a habit of going and asking them for popcorn all the time which she then didn't eat tho!
We went down to the beach one day and it was blissful going into the clear blue sea.
All in all we had an amazing holiday. The best we had had since our honeymoon! I didn't want it to end but unfortunately it had to. We booked a late checkout as our flight pickup wasn't until 3 am. We kept the room til 12, although the man in reception on the night couldn't believe we hadn't stayed in our room til 3 but being good as we are we thought we had to leave the room at the time we had been told we could hold it to.... The kids were good on the plane going home as well, so a complete success. Just too short!
And of course when we got back daddy had to go back to work and work 6 days a week again for the following 3 weeks.....
After we got back we started jack on the baby rice again. He took to it well although after a few days of baby rice, cereal and banana he once again became a little constipated.
On the 16th July I went to London for auntie sarahs hen do.it was the first time I had been away from jack for such a long time so I was a bit apprehensive. Typically as well the night before i went the kids were a mightmare and i probably only managed about 3 hours sleep!! As it turned out it was great and daddy did well with jack. He even slept from 11-5 the most he had ever slept typically!!
I went down on the train with James mum as she was coming to the afternoon tea as a surprise for Sarah. We had afternoon tea at the royal garden hotel in Kensington which was very posh and very nice, but seemed to take an age for them to serve... Then we went on for drinks and games, the Chinese and karaoke and then on to a club for cheesy music and dancing. I couldn't believe it when it was 2 am when I left the club with some of the other girls to go back to the hotel. We stayed at the Chelsea hotel which everyone keeps asking me if it was nice..I can't really say as I pretty much got in and went to bed and then stayed in the room til we checked out later that morning. I was sharing a room with Sarah who rolled in at about 5, having been sitting outside with 1 of her other friends drinking yet more champagne!
The only problem I did encounter was that I was still breastfeeding jack and despite trying to remind myself repeatedly to pack the breast pump I forgot it so had to buy another one in Boots. The comical moment for me was trying to express milk in the toilet of the Chinese restaurant and then dropping it all over the floor!!!
Jacks first tooth came through at the 6 month mark and at this stage his sleeping had still not improved. Since then however, it steadily got better. Especially when I discovered Gina Ford and decided to try following her routines. Her routine was only slightly different from the routine we had anyway, so with a few tweaks we stuck to that and after 1 week, jack finally slept through - twice in a row. I still had to get up a couple of times when he stirred to settle him back down but it was quick and easy and he didn't need anything to eat. The 3rd night he didn't make it that easy but after waking twice in the space of twenty minutes I realised he was soaking wet through, so had to strip him and change him. He did settle himself back down again aft although it took a while. I didn't do so well as first Rachel and then Ben kept me awake....
I know I have missed out huge chunks of life and if I remember anymore interesting anecdotes I will post them later. But that is where we are at now. As I write this i am not sure we will make it tonight either as he is just stirring and starting to cry a bit..... Fingers and toes crossed for me please!!
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